Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1887-01-28
THE INDIAN WAR VETERANS.
THEIR FIRST CAMPFIRE
\ Veteran Yarn by an Old Soldier.
a Reconnaissance that resulted in IA

| GiJ-back."
|. |. Stevens Camp, Indian War
Veterans, met at Columbia Hall, Jan
uary %, 1887.
After call of roll, the Committee on
Constitution and Bylaws submitted
their report, which was accepted, and
the Constitution and Bylaws as re-
ported was unanimously adopted.
4 very pleasant and profitable meet
ing was held, and the exciting scenes
of thirty years ago were recalled and
talked over, so that all felt that they
could almost hear the savage war
whoop and feel the poisoned arrow
Capt. Rabbeson being called upon, re-
sponded in the following words which
were listened to with interest:
GENTLEMEN Ii l was accustomed
to public speaking l would respond
with pleasure, SO all 1 will attempt is
to make my acknowledgements for the
honor you have done me by selecting
me as your presiding officer. Having
resided most of my life upon the from
tier, find that am poorly calculated
for a presiding officer, but as ignorant
as am, know that you are entitled
| to thanks for the honor which you
have conferred upon me. regret that
am not master of suitable language
to express to You my thoughts and
feelings, but in my humble way in
form you that l appreciate the honor,
and will try and serve you to the best
of my ability. 1t would be folly on
my part to attempt an extended
speech 1 fear that if | did | would
come out like Bush's pullet did, when
she tried to lay the goose egg; but, as
| look about me, am reminded of an
old prOverb which says: "The times
are changed, and We are changed in
them" 1t is true saying, and being
an older man than most of you, and
| likewise your captain, i shall take the
privilege of rcmarking upon some of
the changes that see in you.
Thirty years ago l remember you as
young and athletic, your steps more
free, and your hearts appeared lighter
than other mems. Now | find you
with gray boards and whitencd locks,
and / will guarantee that not one of
you can shoot as close or as often as
you did in that day. | can likewise
see the change even in your dress.
! remember you as dressed either in
buckskin or with corduroy pants and
hickory shirt, and now | find you
with store clothes and boiled shirts.
1t is even so in the matter of jewelry,
formerly you wore revolver, bowie
knife and Spanish spurs; now it is
rolled-gold chains and Waterbury
watches. Where are you going to
stop? If you keep on you will soon de-
velop into dudes. Why, if call at
your homes, and sit down at your
table, | find bread, butter and beef
steak. ask you what has become of
the dried salmon skins and fern roots
of former times? Is it probable that
you have became so effeminate that
you cannot eat a good square meal as
formerly, or have the women folks, as
in my case, made you discard all such
luxuries as dried CLAIMS, salmon eggs,
boiled devillish and dried dog-salmon?
Ii so, feel for you; but as l said in
the beginning l did not rise to make
a speech, but before | sit down, fellow
comrades, permit me to bring to your
memory the name of Jas. II. Goudy.
All of you who served in the Indian
war on this side of the mountains, in
| the year of 1855, will remember him
as the indefatigable scout and express
rider, one of whom / can speak with
pride braver, more determined and
trustworthy man it never was my for
tune to be acquainted with. l have
been on several scouts with him, and
ever knew him to be brave, cool and
self-possessed, always the first to take
the post of danger and the last to re-
treat. had supposed him dead years
ago, but am glad to say such is not
the case. On the Goth of October last,
l received the following letter from
him:
LECLAIR, Iowa, Oct. 13, 1856.
A. B. RABBEsON:
Dear Sir: Having seen this summer
your writings of the Indian troubles,
could take it all in. Do you remember
our leading the party to relieve the men
left by Slaughter when he was killed,
Puyallup q have never told of il, as
agreed.) Well, as do not know as this
will ever reach you, l will say no more
at present on that subject, but will tell
you little of the fix am in at present.
4 horse ran away with sleigh last win
ter, and was carried home for dead.
| laid for several months before being
able to get out OF bed but have recovered
now. | can neither smell or taste any
thing, and few OF all know in this town
can call by name But when l think OF
things in your Territory | am still at
home, and So like to see any news OF
those days in the papers. was thrown
against the boxing of a tree, knocking
hole in my head and was told by the doc
tor that would never get up. Well, are
there none left in your town who knew
me? If there ere, you can let them see
roy and Gum? If this ever reaches YOU
please let me know in some way.
JAMES. ii. GoUDY.
John NJ. Murphy-We see that i'll
Mr.. Goudy's letter he speaks of a gig